Partnering with a local farmer for your delivery menu sounds romantic until you see your first month's numbers. Between platform fees eating into every order and premium ingredient costs, many restaurant owners discover their margins have vanished. The math gets tricky, but it's not impossible to make it work.
Gather all cost items
Your delivery menu with local products has more moving parts than a standard operation. Beyond ingredients, you're juggling platform fees, specialized packaging, and often a premium for farm-fresh products.
💡 Example cost items:
- Ingredients from local farmer: €8.50
- Other ingredients: €2.00
- Packaging (container, bag, cutlery): €1.20
- Platform fee Thuisbezorgd (25%): €3.75
- Delivery costs (your account): €2.50
Total costs: €17.95
Calculate your minimum selling price
For delivery margins that won't sink you, aim for a total cost ratio of 65-70% maximum. This means everything - food, platform fees, packaging - shouldn't exceed 70% of what customers pay.
Formula: Minimum selling price = Total costs / 0.70
💡 Example calculation:
Total costs: €17.95
Minimum selling price: €17.95 / 0.70 = €25.64
Round to: €26.50 or €27.50
Check the platform fee impact
Delivery platforms grab 20-30% commission from every order. So a customer pays €25, you're handing over €5 to €7.50 before you even think about food costs. Build this into your pricing from day one.
⚠️ Note:
Platform fees hit your total order value, VAT included. Double-check your contract for exact percentages.
Local products: cost price vs. added value
Farm-fresh ingredients cost more than wholesale, but they give you a story worth telling. And stories sell at premium prices.
- Calculate the gap between local and standard ingredients
- Tell the farmer's story in your menu descriptions
- Test customer willingness to pay before committing fully
💡 Example added value:
Regular steak: €6.00 per portion
Local farm steak: €8.50 per portion
Difference: €2.50
You can charge €4-5 extra with compelling storytelling
Don't forget packaging costs
Delivery means containers, bags, and utensils that restaurant diners never need. These add up fast - it's the kind of thing you only learn after closing your first month at a loss.
- Main course container: €0.40-0.60
- Side dish container: €0.25-0.35
- Sauce container: €0.15-0.25
- Bag, napkin, cutlery: €0.30-0.50
- Stickers and labels: €0.05-0.10
Monitor your actual margin
Check weekly if your calculated margins match what's actually hitting your bank account. Too many operators guess at costs and wonder why profits disappear.
⚠️ Note:
Platform promotions and free delivery offers usually come straight from your margin. Factor these into your average platform costs.
How do you calculate the margin on your delivery menu? (step by step)
List all costs
Note ingredient costs (local farmer + other), packaging costs per dish, and the platform fee percentage from your delivery partner. Don't forget small costs like stickers and cutlery.
Calculate the platform fee
Multiply your planned selling price by the platform fee percentage (usually 20-30%). This amount comes off your revenue before you receive it.
Determine your minimum selling price
Divide your total costs (ingredients + packaging + platform fee) by 0.70 for a healthy margin of 30%. Test whether this price is acceptable to your target audience.
✨ Pro tip
Track your local farmer ingredient costs over a 6-week seasonal cycle before setting permanent prices. Seasonal price swings can destroy your margins if you're locked into fixed menu prices.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
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Frequently asked questions
What platform fee percentage should I calculate?
Most platforms charge 20-30% commission. Thuisbezorgd typically runs around 25%, while Uber Eats ranges from 20-35%. Always check your specific contract for exact percentages.
Can I pass local ingredient premium costs to customers?
Yes, but you need to sell the story effectively. Highlight the farmer's background, emphasize freshness and sustainability benefits. Customers will pay more when they understand the value.
What if my calculated price seems too high for delivery?
Consider creating a delivery-specific menu with modified portions or ingredient swaps. Delivery customers often have different price expectations than dine-in guests, so adapt accordingly.
Should I include VAT in my margin calculation?
Always calculate margins using pre-VAT prices for accuracy. Food carries 9% VAT, so a €27.50 menu price equals €25.23 excluding VAT for your margin calculations.
📚 Sources consulted
- EU Verordening 852/2004 — Levensmiddelenhygiëne (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 853/2004 — Hygiënevoorschriften voor levensmiddelen van dierlijke oorsprong (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 1169/2011 — Voedselinformatie aan consumenten (2011) — Official source
- NVWA — Hygiënecode voor de horeca (2024) — Official source
- NVWA — Allergenen in voedsel (2024) — Official source
- Codex Alimentarius — International Food Standards (2024) — Official source
- FSA — Safer food, better business (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- BVL — Lebensmittelhygiene (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- Warenwetbesluit Bereiding en behandeling van levensmiddelen (2024) — Official source
- WHO — Foodborne diseases estimates (2024) — Official source
Food Standards Agency (FSA) — https://www.food.gov.uk
The HACCP standards shown in this application are for informational purposes only. KitchenNmbrs does not guarantee that displayed values are current or complete. Always consult the FSA or your local authority for the latest regulations.
Written by
Jeffrey Smit
Founder & CEO of KitchenNmbrs
Jeffrey Smit built KitchenNmbrs from 8 years of hands-on experience as kitchen manager at 1NUL8 Group in Rotterdam. His mission: give every restaurant owner control over food cost.
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